Cartridge gauge



Feb. 18, 1958 E. M. ZABLOUDIIL 2,823,458 H CARTRIDGE GAUGE Filed March12, 1954 INVENTOR. EDWAED ZABLOUD/L,

s'yfmmjpmawz w 0m This invention rela'tes to cartridge--g'auges.

An 1object' of the invention is -tosprovide aniintproved gauge forcomparing the length of a cartridge case and the overall length of aloaded cartridge with standards and for indicating the depth to which abullet is seated in a cartridge case, in order that too deep or tooshallow seating may be corrected. If loaded too deeply, a bullet takesup precious air space in a cartridge and when fired has to jump or moveahead before it engages the rifling of the barrel of the gun, with acertain resultant loss in the accuracy of the shot. If the seating istoo shallow, the bullet is likely to be jammed in the rifiing of thebarrel and, should it become necessary to remove a bullet unfired, it islikely to stick in the barrel and require the application of a ramrod.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cartridge gauge which isof simple and inexpensive construction, which is easy to use, and whichwill accurately indicate variations from standard length and seating ofcartridges tested with the gauge.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description considered in conjunction with the attacheddrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a gauge of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the illustrated devicecomprises a base 1, fabricated of metal, wood, or other rigid material,in the form of a channel bar positioned with the open side downward. Adovetailed tongue 2 extends longitudinally along the upper surface ofthe base 1 and is formed integrally therewith. A cylindrical bore 3,enlarged at its upper end, extends vertically through the base 1 and thetongue 2 for receiving and countersinking a screw to fasten the base 1to a bench or other support.

An upstanding abutment plate 4 is positioned on one end of the base 1and fixedly connected thereto. Specifically, the plate 4, of metal,wood, or other rigid material, has its lower portion fixed to one end ofthe base 1 by means of the machine screws 5 and has its upper portionextending upwardly from the upper surface of the tongue 2.

Also positioned upon the base 1, is a block 6 which is mounted on thebase for sliding movement thereon toward and away from the plate 4, theunder portion of the block 6 being provided with a dovetailed groove 7which slidably receives the dovetailed tongue 2. The block 6 is providedwith a longitudinal bore 8 extending therethrough. Inserted within thebore 8 is a bushing 9 having a smaller and accurately machined bore 10.The bushing 9 is positioned within the bore 8 so that one end of thebushing 9 is flush with the face of the block 6 adjacent the plate is aside elevational view of the assembly of "4. ":The bore ilfli-isladapted tozreceivexto Ia predeterrnined distance thzsniall'er'erid 6f the pointed 'end' of a bullet sinserteditlierin; theibore .10being accurately-formed =to ihave ardiarneterxinialrsto the:diarneter ofthe pointed end :bfia bulieu'zofitlre rcaliberizto be tested ion thegauge, :at a apretletermined point 'iiiterrn'edi'ate its ends. Thezpred'erterminedipoint will be aconstant-distance from the :baseiofittheg: cartridge tease .in lfwhich the -bullet is inserted, iif ithe'ibullet lis preper l rseated itlie case.

Means upon the block 6 co ct with' means upon' ithe tba's :1.toiiindi'cate selectivelya-comparison "with respecf'ti ve rst'andardsfiofitheril'ength o a cartridge ca e, or the overalleflengthuorathtdeptho seating of a loaded carntridg easui'edainthe g'a'u'ge. iTli'e rneansconsists of an uprigh ine m'nnankedfori onezsideqo thebas'e-lfand-exztending'std ithe upper tedge zthereofzarrd threemright-Jines 12, 13 and 14 marked upon the complemental side of the block6 and extending to its juncture with the base 1. The lines are sopositioned along the base 1 and block 6 that if the block 6 is moved onthe base 1 to bring the line 14 into alignment with the line 11, thedistance between the facing surfaces of the plate 4 and the block 6 willbe exactly equal to the standard length of the cartridge case ofcartridges of the caliber for which the gauge is intended, if the line12 is brought into alignment with the line 11, the distance between thefacing surfaces will be equal to the standard overall length of a loadedcartridge of the pertinent caliber, and if the line 13 is aligned withthe line 11, the distance between the facing surfaces will be equal tothe distance between the base of the cartridge and the point upon thepointed end of the bullet at which the diameter of the bullet equals thediameter of the bore 10.

To use the gauge of the present invention to determine whether a bulletis properly seated in a cartridge case, the cartridge is positioned, asshown in the broken lines in Figure 5, with the base of the case againstthe plate 4 and the point of the bullet extending into the bore 10. Theblock 6 is then moved toward the plate 4 until the bullet lodges in thebore 10 at the point where the diameter of the bullet equals thediameter of the bore, as shown in broken lines in Figure 5. If thebullet is properly seated, the line 13 should now be in alignment withthe line 11. If the line 13 is nearer the plate 4 than the line 11, thebullet is too deeply seated. If the line 13 is farther from the plate 4than the line 11, the bullet is not deeply enough seated. In either casethe improper seating is indicated in direction and amount andappropriate steps can be taken to correct it.

By a similar method the gauge may be used to compare the length of acartridge case, or the overall length of a loaded cartridge withappropriate standards. In the latter uses, however, the open end of thecase, or the pointed end of the bullet is placed against the face of theblock 6 rather than in the bore 10 and the positions of the lines 14 and12 respectively with respect to the. line 11 indicate the results of thecomparison.

The gauge of the present invention may be adapted for use withcartridges of different calibers by the substitution of blocks 6provided with bores 10 of appropriate diameters and side markings 12, 13and 14 appropriately positioned for the gauging of other calibers. Thesame base 1 may be used for all calibers.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cartridge gauge, a base having a top, a block shorter than thebase, means mounting said block on the top of the base for longitudinalsliding movement along the base, an abutment plate fixed on and risingabove the top of the base, said block having an end facing andlongitudinally aligned with and spaced from said abutment plate, and alongitudinal bushing mounted on said block, said bushing having a boreof a diameter to receive therein the point of a bullet of a cartridgehaving its other end engaged with the abutment plate.

2. In a cartridge gauge, a base having a top, a block shorter than thebase, means mounting said block on the top of the base for longitudinalsliding movement along the base, an abutment plate fixed on and risingabove the top of the base, said block having an end facing and10hgitudinally aligned with and spaced from said abutment plate, and alongitudinal bushing mounted on said block, T'-

, shorter than the base, means mounting said block on the top of thebase for longitudinal sliding movement along the base, an abutment platefixed on and rising above the top of the base, said block having an endfacing and longitudinally aligned with and spaced from said abutmentplate, and a longitudinal bushing mounted on said block, said bushinghaving a bore of a diameter to receive therein the point of a bullet ofa cartridge having its other end engaged with the abutment plate, saidbase and block having complementary sides, a vertical gauging line onthe side of one of said base and block, and a vertical indicator line onthe other for selective registry with the gauging line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS933,992 Ketchum Sept. 14, 1909 1,127,955 Berthold Feb. 9, 1915 1,375,747Zigray -n Apr. 26. 1921 2,444,136 Leasure June 29, 1948 2,465,791 DaoustMar. 29, 1949 2,585,521 Wandrus Feb. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 471,111Germany Feb. 6, 1929

